Small beginnings

obbies
start in small ways sometimes. Among other things I collect old records - I have
over 1,600 78s, dating back to 1897, (as well as over 1,000 LPs and over 700
CDs/SACDs: and a lot of tape).

Our
family's first gramophone was given to us probably around 1949: it had an
electric pickup that you connected to the radio and a wind-up motor. With it
there were three obviously quite old records on the 'Twin' label - two of
Christmas carols sung by 'A Church Choir' (four people) and two maudlin
Victorian songs (see label, right).

My
father said they were probably 40 years old - a pretty accurate guess as it
turned out since they dated from around 1910. Their sheer age fascinated me (40
years seemed an awfully long time then), and started me looking in junk
shops for other old records: even before I left school I had collected quite a
few interesting examples. And I kept at it... now I have over 1,600 78s chosen
both for their content and their value as artefacts. The collection also
includes CDs and gramophone records of classical music and classic (pre-war)
jazz, as well as comedy recordings, including a lot of old music-hall, and a
large number of Goon Shows.

You can
listen to an excerpt from this record (if you really want
to):